Gaza Herald — The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Wednesday that it has received the bodies of 45 Palestinians returned earlier in the day by Israeli authorities through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This raises the total number of bodies handed over since the announcement of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement to 90.
In a statement, the ministry said that its medical teams are working to examine, document, and identify the bodies in accordance with official procedures before returning them to their families for burial.
Signs of Execution and Abuse
Medical sources confirmed that several of the bodies received on Tuesday showed clear signs of mistreatment, including being blindfolded and handcuffed.
These findings strongly suggest that some of the victims were subjected to field executions by Israeli forces before their deaths.
In addition, tank tread marks were visible on several of the bodies, indicating that some of the victims were likely run over by Israeli military vehicles.
Ceasefire Terms and Prisoner Exchange
According to the ceasefire and prisoner exchange terms, Israel is required to release the bodies of 15 Palestinian martyrs for every one Israeli body recovered from Gaza.
The deal took effect on Friday at noon, following its approval by the Israeli government earlier that morning.
It is part of a U.S.-brokered plan proposed by President Donald Trump, which includes an end to Israel’s two-year assault, a phased withdrawal of troops, the exchange of prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Longstanding Policy of Withholding Bodies
For more than two years, Israel has withheld hundreds of Palestinian bodies, including those of detainees who died under torture in its prisons.
Families have been denied the right to know the fate of their loved ones or to give them proper burials , a policy condemned by international rights groups as collective punishment and a violation of humanitarian law.
The latest handover highlights the ongoing suffering of Palestinian families searching for justice and closure, even as the guns fall silent under the fragile ceasefire.
